Baldwin4Children produces full slate of fundraisers

Baldwin4children, a community group seeking to raise $321,000 in private donations over the next year to endow a variety of educational programs in Baldwin, has scheduled a wide range of fundraisers. The group, which catalogs its activities at the website baldwin4children.org, was formed in reaction to the lean 2013-14 Baldwin school budget, which will leave many sports and arts programs unfunded.

Headed by community organizers Richard Damm and Jenny Clavin, baldwin4children is a parent-led group that is working with the Baldwin Foundation for Education to collect tax-deductible contributions. Its recent activities on behalf of Baldwin schools have included jewelry sales, charity karaoke events and a cocktail party, and there are already fundraisers scheduled through mid-August (see schedule, left).

The group’s initial goal was to raise approximately $69,000 by Aug. 1 in order to sponsor fall sports programs at Baldwin Middle School and fall junior varsity sports at the high school. As of press time, the group’s website showed it had collected $22,000 from 54 donors, although money from the weekend was still being tallied.

Clavin said that Baldwin has been receptive to her group’s work, but acknowledged that the project faces challenges. “The community has been very supportive of the fundraising efforts,” she said. “Our biggest challenge is getting the word out to all residents of Baldwin, and reaching our alumni, near and far, who have benefited from these programs in the past. This has been a tough year, economically and emotionally, for this town and it’s very difficult for many people to give much, especially those still recovering from Sandy.”

Clavin clarified that if the group does not reach its goal, the funds raised will either be applied to one of the target beneficiaries (middle or high school fall sports) or rolled over to endow a program with a later deadline.